I
invite you to visit this square on holidays!KUIBYSHEV SQUARE
I live not far from Kuibyshev Square. I cross the square every day, when I go to school. This is the biggest square in Samara and one of the biggest squares in Europe.
Old people remember, that many years ago there was a magnificent cathedral in the middle of the square. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Its bright golden domes could be seen for miles away. The cathedral was one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Russia. The square was called a Cathedral square, and the street that led to the square (Molodogvardeiskaya) was called Sobornaya.
Unfortunately the life of the cathedral was short. In early 30-s the cathedral was blown up. Now only the historical documents and the archives can give us an idea what it looked like.
Today we can see the building of the Opera and Ballet Theatre (which was built in 1936) almost in the same place where the cathedral used to be. This is a dark and gloomy building. Several columns hold the theatre. One of the wings houses the Art Museum. In front of the theatre there is a monument to Kuibyshev - a revolutionary, a colleague of Lenin and Stalin.
There was a waste - ground for a long time around the Opera and Ballet Theatre. And now four small parks surround the square. They are quite and cosy. Some fruit trees grow there. In spring when the trees are in blossom, the sweet smell fills the air. The trees turn snow- white with flowers and the parks look very beautiful. Under one of the parks there is the Bunker of Stalin, which is a museum now, but people can seldom visit it.
The square is very beautiful in summer. To the left we can see lawns with neatly cut bushes and apple- trees.
To the right there are lawns with fluffy larches. And in the centre, if you look in the direction of the Volga-river, you will see giant blue fir-trees on both sides.
In summer I often ride a bicycle in the square, because there is much space for cycling and no cars.
During the winter holidays the square is full of children. They have fun sleighing down the hills and skating. Before New Year holidays a huge fir-tree is placed in the centre and decorated with lights. Snow hills and a big ice-ring are made in the square round the fir- tree. Pancake Tuesday is also celebrated in the square. There are funny contests, children capture a snow-fortress and burn a scarecrow of Winter.
Different fairs and concerts are held in the square too.
I
invite you to visit this square on holidays!
Tanya Arutunyan, 7 grade,
Gymnasium N11 *International*, 1997
